Free treatment for 10 cancer patients a yr

The announcement came at the daylong national conference on 'Cancer prevention and care' at the Bangladesh China Friendship Conference Centre yesterday.

The foundation also announced that it would hold such national conference every year to create awareness among people as well as keeping medical practitioners updated.

Besides, every year a person will be awarded for contributing to cancer treatment and care in Bangladesh. This year Prof Syiid Fazlul Huq (posthumous) was awarded for his contributions to cancer awareness, prevention and care.

State Minister for Health and Family Welfare Mizanur Rahman Sinha inaugurated the conference.

Vice Chancellor of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU) Prof MA Hadi, Pro-VC MA Mannan, President of BCF Dr Monwar Hossain, Secretary General Habibullah Talukder, Director of Bangladesh Cancer Institute AMM Shariful Islam and Head of the Department of Medicine of Dhaka Medical College Prof FM Siddiqui also spoke on the occasion.

The speakers said there are ten lakh cancer patients in the country and every year another two lakh patients are being added to this number. But if we can change our food habits and life style, it is possible to reduce the risk of cancer.

Four different sessions took place including discussions on situation of paediatric haematology and oncology in Bangladesh, endoscopy in cancer care, management of oro-facial cancers in Bangladesh and paclitaxel based adjuvant chemotherapy for patients with node-positive primary breast cancer.